Artificial hand and arm



H; J. SNETHUN ARTIFICIAL HAND AND ARM "Sept. 21, 1948.

4 Sheets-Sh eet 1 Filed Jan. 24, 1946 R Qww. wk kw n' A ATTORNEY /N VENTOR ATTORNEY p 1, 1948. H. J. SNETHUN ARTIFICIAL HAND AND ARM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 24, 1946 Sept. 21, 1948. JISNETHUN 2,449,728

ARTIFICIAL 145m) AND ARM 7 Filed Jan. 24, 1946' 4 Sheets-Sheet s 4 mvE/vroR H /vsu. swarm/N I I 7 Br ATTORNEY P 1948. H. J. VSNETHUN 2,449,728

ARTIFICIAL HAND AND ARM Filed Jan. 24, 1946 r 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 21, 1948 UNITED An'rmcIAL' ARM Hans J. Snethun Yancouver, Britishcolumbia, t a Canada Application January 24, 194.6; Serial No. 643,021

, dclaims. (01.3-12).

This invention. relates to an artificial hand which is to be applied to the stump of an arm from which the hand and a portion of the arm have been removed. h m

At the present time artificial arms andhands in general use are not satisfactory asthe fingers are stiff and an *object can not be grasped with the artificial hand.

Therefore it is one object of the invention to provide an artificial hand so constructed. that the fingers are formed of links or strips. which are pivoted to each other at points corresponding toifinger joints and thus allow the fingers to be moved in a natural manner for opening and closing the hand.

QAnother object of the invention is towprovide mechanism for holding theartificiali hand in place about the front end of the arm, the mechanism including members so mountedand so connected with the fingers-that when the forearm is moved at the elbow the fingers will be moved and the hand opened or closed according to the direction inwhich the iorearmuis moved. r r i Another object of the invention is to provide an artificial hand wherein the pivotally connected links forming the fingers are enclosed in helical springs which formyieldable sleeves for the fingers and impart a more natural appearance to the hand when it is covered by a glove serving as a, casing for. the hand and. in addition allow the thumb and fingers of the artificial hand to obtain a good grip upon an article to be picked up without danger ing the article. i

. Another object of the invention is to provide an artificial hand having side bars adapted to be strapped to an arm where they will be firmly held and companion upper and lower ones of the side bars pivoted to form an elbow joint hav-v ing finger-actuating .bars so connected with lower portions of the upper side bars that they will be shifted longitudinally to move the fingers when the arm is bent at the elbow.

Another object of the invention is to provide an artificial hand which is very eificient in operation, strong and durable, and. capable of being easily applied or removed.

The invention is illustrated in the accompany ing drawings wherein: it

Fig. 1 is a side view of the improvedartificial hand showing it applied to the arm of a person indicated by dotted lines. I e h Fig. .2 is a bottom plan view of the artificial and. h t

of crush- Fig. 3 is'a sectional view taken longitudinally through the artificial hand. h

Fig. 4 is a view partially in section and partially in sideelevation showing the palm'of the hand and the socket carried thereby removed.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional viewtaken along the'line 5-5 of Figure 3. r

Fig; 6 is a sectional view taken through the elbow joint along lined-6 of Figure 3. V Fig. 7 is a view of the fingers and theiroperating mechanism withthe helical springs of the fingers removed. Q Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken 8-+8 of Figure. '7.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 7. I

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken longitudinally of the artificial hand showing the fingers in the opened position. a

Fig. 11 is a=plan view of the artificial hand and showing a leather covering for the palm in place. a i i Fig. 12 is -a side view of Figure 11.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line l3l3 of Figure 12.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of an artificial hand and arm adapted to be appliedto an arm which has been amputated above the elbow.

This improved artificial hand, or hand and arm, has companion sections which may be referred to as upper and lower sections and are designated in general by the numerals .l and 2. The lower section or front section 2 has side bars 3 and 4 to which are secured ends of a metal strip 5 which is curved longitudinally and forms a cradle which extends transversely of the forward section 2 and is intended to engage under and support the forward portion of a persons arm. A block 6 which simulates the palm and adjacent portions of a person's hand is disposed along the line between forward portions of the barss and i will fit snugly in the socket and have wedging fit therein. r t

Rods l I and I2 are mounted between front ends .ofthe side bars 3 and 4 and these rods also pass through the front endof a strip or bar l3 which extends longitudinally of the side bar 4 and is spaced from the inner surface of this bar for the major portionotits length but has its rear end portion secured flatagainst the side bar by rivets as shown in Figure 14. Referring to this figure it will be seen that the spring member 16 has an intermediate portion extending across the yoke or strap 16 and is then passed through openings i8 and its end portions extended longitudinally of the artificia1 arm and secured at its ends to the band I'd and the side bar 3. There are two of the spring members T! which are secured at their ends to the side bars 63 and the side bars 3 and 4 and have their intermediate portions engaged under the elbow joints. When this artificial arm is in use movements are imparted to its forearm portions by movements of a persons shoulder and upper arm.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An artificial hand and arm comprising upper and lower arm portions having side bars pivoted to each other to form by an elbow joint the side bars of the upper arm portion being formed with slots eccentric to the pivots of the elbow joints, a hand at the front end of the lower arm portion having fingers movable to opened and closed positions, and actuating rods slidable longitudinally of the side bars of the lower arm portion and having front ends connected with the fingers and their rear ends engaged in the slots formed in the side bars of the upper arm portion whereby the actuating rods will be shifted longitudinally along the lower arm portion and cause movement of the fingers to a closed position when the lower arm portion is swung about the elbow joint to a raised position,

2. An artificial hand and arm comprising lower side bars, upper side bars pivoted on the lower side bars and having slots eccentric to their pivotal connections with the lower bars, rods slidable longitudinally of the lower bars having their rear ends provided with pins passing through the slots and moving the rods longitudinally when the lower side bars are tilted about their pivots, a hand mounted between forward portions of the lower side bars, a cross rod mounted between the lower side bars at the front of the hand, fingers pivotally mounted upon the cross rod and formed of pivotally connected links providing joints for the fingers, and a rod engaged with inner ends of the fingers and moving with the side rods to open and close the fingers.

3. An artificial hand and arm comprising lower side bars, upper side bars pivoted to the lower side bars and having slots eccentric to their pivotal connections with the lower bars, rods slidable iongitudinally of the lower bars having their rear ends provided with pins passing through the slots and moving the rods longitudinally when the lower side bars are tilted about their pivots, a hand mounted between forward portions of the lower side bars, a cross rod mounted between the lower side bars at the front of the hand, fingers pivotally mounted upon the cross rod and formed of pivotally connected links providing finger joints and allowing opening and closing movements of the fingers, brackets pivoted upon the cross rod, and a rod carried by said brackets and engaged by inner ends of the fingers and connected with the side rods for movement therewith to impart opening and closing movement to the fingers when the lower side bars are swung relative to the upper side bars.

4. An artificial hand and arm comprising upper and lower arm portions having side bars pivoted to each other for swinging movement of the lower arm portion, the upper side bars having slots therein eccentric to the pivots connecting the upper and lower side bars, a block at the front end of the lower arm portion having a socket extending rearwardly for receiving the stump of a persons arm from which the hand has been amputated, fingers and a thumb extending from the front and one side of said block and consisting of links pivoted together and providing joints permitting opening and closing movements of the thumb and fingers, actuating rods for said thumb and fingers slidable longitudinally of the side bars of the lower side portion and having pins at their upper ends engaged in the slots whereby the rods will be shifted longitudinally and move the thumb and fingers when the lower arm section is moved, and yieldable jackets for the thumb and the fingers.

HANS J. SNETl-IUN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 57,594 Stoffel Aug. 28, 1866 2,285,885 Becker ..-June 9, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 532,110 France Nov. 8, 1921 484,845 France Nov. 13, 1917 

